Electric heating means



Aug. 10, 1954 c. E. PECK ETAL 2,686,048 ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Filed June 7. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: a

Clorence E. Peck BY and Willord Roth. %u /3 ta/?M ATTORN EY A 0, 1954 c. E. PECK ETAL 5 9 ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Filed June 7, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figlb.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOIRS Clorence E. Peck ATTORNEY Y and Willord Roth.

Aug. 10, 1954 Filed June 7, 1950 Fig2.

C. E. PECK ET AL ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS .Clcrnce E. Peck Y and Willord Roth.

23 c zmawf ATTORNEY 1954 c. E. PECK ET AL 5 3 ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Filed June 7, 1950 Fig.5.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WlTNESSES INVENTORS Clorence E. Peck BY and Willord Roth. 7%. cww

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1954 ELECTR-'IC HEATING MEANS Clarence E. Peck, Cambridge Springs, and Willard Reth, Meadviile, Pa., assgncrs to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a ccrporation of Pennsyivaia Application June '7, 1950, Serial No. 166,(364

6 Claims.

This invention rela-tes broadly to electrical heating equipment and parts thereof that can be used to add heat to a fiowing gas.

An object of this invention is to provide electricai equipment for heating a flowing gas, which is compact and ccmparatvely small for the amount of heat it can impart to the gas.

Features of the invention reside in a shellstructure through which the flowing gas passes and an electric resistor heater inside the shellstructure for heating the flowing gas. The pas sages for the fiowing gas in the shell-structure are comparatively thin but of large area so that the shell structure is kept cool by the large amount of gas that passes through it. he shellstructure comprises closely spaced concentric tubular members; and the electric resistor heater comprises a coiled, or helically Wound, rbbonresistcr carried on a framework inside the innermost of the tubular members. The ribbon-resistor is so wound or coiled that it provides a large heating area in proximity to the innermost of the tubular m mbers. In the preferred embodiment the gas ows into and out of the shell-structure from one end of the equipment, and the electric resistor heater is energized by suitable energizing conductors at the other end of the equipment. Preferably, conductors for energizing the ibbonresistor extend inside of the resistor-coil and are connected at spaced points thereof which permits the electric resistcr heater to be energized With three phase A. C. power so that a large amount of energy can be supplied thereto.

Additional objects, features and innovations or" this invention wili be discernibie from the following description of a preferred and specific e'nbodi ment thereof, 'to which, hov/ever, the gist of this nvention is not necessarily limited. The description is to be taken in conjunction With the accompanying dr wings, which, except as indicated, are substantiaily to scale, although the various figures therecf are not to the same scaie. In the drawings:

Figs. "la and lb, when placed With the ormer directly above the iatter, and their lines A A fitting, constitute an axial or longitudinal View, partly in section and partly in eievation, with part s broken away to indicate length, of equip ment emboying our invention; the View being substantially toiscale except forsthe narrow spaces between the tubular shell members, these spacers being enlarged for clarity of. iilustration;

Fig. 2 isa diagrammatic View illustrating the arrangement of the-resistor ofthe'electric resistor heater inrelationto itszene gizingmeans and e various plates ccmprising part of the electric resister hee-ter;

Fg 3 and 4 are' sectional Views on the lines UL-Hrana IV-IV, respectively, of Fig. la;

Fig. 5 is a side View of a main plate of the electrio resistor bea-ter;

F'ig. 6 is a sectional View substantially on the line Vii- VI of Fig. la.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of an intermediate reinforcing piate used in the eiectric resistor heater;

Fig. 8 is a side View of the plate shown in Fig. 7; and

Figs. 9, 10 and ll are enlarged detailed views, pertiy in .Section and partly in elevation, indicating the nanner in which conductcrs are esseciated with the various plates or" the eiectric resstor heater for providing the energizing connections to the ribbon-resistor of the heater.

Referring more particulariy to Figs. la and lb, a shell-structure, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 2, has an electric resistor heater therein, the electric resistor heater being indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 4. The shell-structure 2 and electric resistor heatcr i which is contained therein are adapted to be placed in a high pr ssure steel Vessel Bhavng an outer end wall 8.

The shell-structure 2 comprises a plurality of nested. cup-like shell members ii !2 and ifi. The shell members are spaced from each other so that the shell member IS is innermost, the shell mernber it is outernost and the shell member 52 is between the two. The shell members ta, i2 and l i comprse, respecti'v'ely, spaced, concentric, round, metal-tube, side members !8 and 23, and spacecl bottom? or end members 24 and The spacing between the tubular members 25, !3 and 2'? provides an inner gas-fior space 28, and. an outer gas-flow space 38. The outer tubular member 25 is longer than the inner tubular member t, which in turn extends above the intermediate tubular member !3. As shown near the middle of Fig. ia, an annuiar metal scaling ring raine 32 is gas-tightiy Secured completely around protruding end of the inner tubular member and between' the inner and outer tubuiar members ti?? and 28, and. is spacedfron the associated end of the intermediate tubuiar member i'c so as to provide a communicating gas-passage between the gas-flow spaces 23 and 30.

The preerrej embodiment herein described is for heating. gases at high pressure, ficwng at high Velo-cities. To this end', the inne' gas-flow space 23 is radiallj narrower than the outer gasflow space 35, so narrow in fact that it is desh-- able to accuratey grind the facing suraces of the inner and intermediate tubular members [6 and it to size. 'A metal wire bead 34 is helically wrapped around the outer surface or" th inner tubular member !6, being secured thereto in any suitable manner. For accurate dimensioning, the outer surface of the bead is subsequently finished by grinding to size so that the intermediate tubular member :a can slip over the inner tubular member and the bead 34 thereon when the parts are cold, the recommended ciearance being not more than about .013 inch for an inner gasfiow space 28 that is .125 inch thick. The head 3 3 helps to keep the inner and intermediate tubular members spaced, but it also has the important function of causing the gas to flow through the inner space 28 in a helical path.

For added strength a plurality of small metal spacers 35 can be spaced between outer and intermediate tubular members and iS, and similar 2 narrow spacers 35 between the outer end wall and the intermediate end wall 2 5. A few only of these spacers are shown in the drawings.

Progressively larger, spaced, concentric pipe means 33, 1@ and 32 are respectively gas-tightly i Secured to the end members 22, 24 and 26, extending downwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. lb. The inner and outer tubuiar members it and 20 and the inner and outer pipe means 33 and 42 are ormed of single metal walls; whereas the intermediate end member 24 and the intermediate pipe means i@ are formed of two spaced metal walls having heat insuiation therebetween. The inner Pip means 38 is comparatively short, and

has its free end gas-tightly closed by a metal plug &4. Its other end is provided with a fiared metal member lt so that a temperature-responsive element can be readily set into the pipe means 38 which serves as a wel1 therefor. The intermediate pipe means :te passes gas-tightly through a scaling ring or pisten as.

The spacing between the intermediate pipe means &E and the Outer pipe means 42 provides a gas inlet 5@ to the shell-structure; and the inside of the intermediate pipo means se provides an outlet 52.

It is believed that the manner in which gas fiows through the shell-structure 2 is obvious. Referring to Figs. la and lb, gas to be heated flow into the inlet 55), passes upwardly between the outer and intermediate pipe means i@ and &2, then passes radially outwardly through the communicating gas-passage between the outer and intermediate end members Zt and 26, then passes up through the outer gas-flow space 33, then passes around the communicating passage bounded by the annular scaling ring frame 1:2, then passes helically downwardly through the inner gas-flow space 28, then passes radially inwardly through the communicating gas-passage between the inner and intermediate end members 22 and 2:2 and finally through the pipe means an and through the outlet 52. During this flow, the gas is heated by heat energy supplied by the electric resistor heater 4.

The electric resistor heater oomprises a metallic skeleton frame that supports a ribbonresistor helically wound into an elongated coilform of a plurality of sections. The skeleton frame comprises a central tube or post 69, a plurality of posts 52, 64, 66, 68 and w and a plu- 'rality of spaced transverse plates secured to the tube and posts. The posts 62, lid, 66, 58 and 'ID are arranged around the center tube 58 at the corners of a regular pentagon, as viewed in crosssection.

' in place.

The plates carried by the posts comprise a main plate 12 at one end of the heater, an end plate 'M at the other end of the heater, and a pluralit of intermediate piates each of which is represented by the same reference numeral 76. The intermediate plates 75 are for the purpose of reinforcing the framework and for providing convenient means by which the ribbon-resistor may be electrically connected and energized. As shown in Fig. 2, the electric resistor heater comprises the end platcs ?2 and i and eleven intermediate reinforcing plates ?5.

All of the piates ?2, and '56 are provided with a central hole that fits the center tube '50 and with a plurality of outer hoies that fit the various posts 62, t, !56, 58 and ii). In assembly of the skeleton frame, a plurality of insuiators sa are set on each of the outer posts 62, 54, 56, 68 and 10, in the spaces between the various plates ?2, 14 and 7%. These spaces receive sections 82 of a heating ribbon-resistor. The outer posts are adjustably boited to the main plate 12 and the end plate it, and the intermediate plates '16 are stepped and provided with suitable bosses so that the insulators 8@ are suitably positioned to receive a helical section 32 of the heating ribbon-resistor between each pair of acing plates. As shown in Fig. 6, in cross section the coiled resistor-section is in the nature of a regular pentagon with slightly rounded corners where the ribbon bends around the pairs of abutting insulators 86. This polygonal contour is provided so as to have a large surface area of ribbonresistor close to the inner tubular member se so that heat from the resistor readily fiows thereto, and is also conducted thereto by convection. A polygonal cross-section of fewer sides than five would bring parts of the ribbon arther away from the inner tubular member t; and while more than five sides can be used, the added costs of Construction do not appear to be justified.

Energy is fed to the ribbon-resistor through a plurality of connection-conductors. In accordance with our nvention, this energy is threephase so that three conductors 86, 83 and sa are provided. These connection-conductors se, 88 and 90 are arranged at the corners of a triangle, as indicated in Fig. 6. The connection-conductors are of different lengths, as indicated in Fig. 2. Each of the connection-conductors insulatedly passes through one or more of the plates 72 and 75 in a manner indicated in Figs. 9 and 10. For uniformity in designs each of the plates is provided with three stopped holes 92. The correspondingly located holes of the plates are aligned with the connection-conductors. Each hole is adapted to receive an insulator. However, such an insulator is provided only in case a connection-conductor passes through the associated hole. With reference to Fig. 2, it can be observed that the connection-conductor 8% passes through plate 12 and is anchored at the next plate 76. The connection-conductor 88 passes through the plate 12, the following four plates 'S, and is anchored at the next following plate ?5, fith from the plate l'Z. The connection-conductor fit] passes through nine plates and is anchored at the tenth plate.

An end of a connection-conductor is anchored at a plate 16 in a manner shown in Fg. 10. An insulator 94 shaped as shown is in the proper hole 92 of the plate. A metal ring 96, Secured to the plate ?6, helps hold the insulator The insulator 94 has a central hole through which the end of the connection-conductor' 86-; 88 or' 90, as the case may be, passes. This end is threaded and terminates at`^9`3 The threaded end has twonuts moon opposite sides o the insulator 94 that hold the-connecti n-conol'uctor lengthwise withrespect to the insulator 94. Metal pins !02 can further be provided for looking purposes. These pins pass' through the associated connection-conductor on opposite sides of'the nuts 96;

At a certain point, each connection conducto' is-connected to theend of asribbon-resistor section 52. To efiect suchi connection the structure shown in Fig. 9'can be used. As shown in one of the holes' 92 of' a plate '52 or t receives an insulator !04 thatish'eld in place` by a metal Washer !GB fastened to the: plate. ?6. shown. A connector 86; 88:01' 90; asthe case passes through this insulator to the next plate Te. Slightly below the insulator IM' an ene or". the proper section &2: of the heating ribbon-resstor is fastened, preferably by welcling, so as to insurea good electrical conductioncontact between the connection-conductor and the* end of' the associatect section' 82'. Preferably, the connection isemade ata point nearthe'plate 't whichimmediat'ely precedes the plate. ?Sat which the associated connection-conductor is'anchorecl. This is indicated` in Fig. 2 where the equally-spaced points B, C and D represent connection points for the connection-conductors 86, 33- ancl 55, respectively, and the points 108 represent their anchoring points.

At some points in the electric resistor heater, the encls of certain of the sections 82 are'electrically directly connected to the plates Hi and ?8. A inanner for accomplishing this is shown in Fig. 11' where a' short metal rod or post :5% is intimately tied to a plate T4; or 16, as the case may be. This short rod HO has a slot HE that intimately receives the end of a section'sz of the ribbon-resiston In Fig'. 2 such connections are 'epr sented at equally-spaced pointsE, F and G.

l`he electrical connections are more clearly set'forth in Fig. 2 which shows the end plates 12 and' 1 4' and' eleven intermediate plates TS .spaced to provide a ribbon-resistor' of twelve equal sections 82. The connection-coneluctors 86, 88 and 99 extend axially inside of the general coil formed by the sections` 32. of the ribbonresistor;

The shortest connection-conductor insulaterily'passes through the main plate ?2. in the znanner shown in Fig. 9, and is insulatedly anchored to-the next successivo intermediate plate "16- in the inanner shown in Fig. 10. The connection point B is immediately below the main plate ?2, and, hence, current will flow to` and from the connection-conductor 86 in apath that may be said to start at the point B, progress through the next four sections 82, to the point The ribbon-resistor between the points B and E is bent to cross each intermediate plate at one oi the plurality of notches t provizied therein, so that the crossing portion' is space insulatecl from the associated plate.

The second Shortest connection-conductor 83 is of a length that extends to and is anchored to the plate 'Et immediately below the plate which has the point E. Immediately below the plate ?5 that has the point E, the connection-conductor 83 is connected to an end of the assocated ribbon-resistor thereat at the point C'. This ribbon-resistor continues through the next four sections 82 Where it terminates at a point F fixed to the plate '16 the'eat.

The lon'gest connection conductor' 93' insulatedly passes through a number' of' the plates and is anchoredto the one' below that` containing: the point F; Immediately under the plate containing the pointtF, the connection-conductor 9% is connected to the end of the associated' ribbonresistor, as indicated at' point D. This ribbonresistor iscontinuous downwarcl to the point G.

The variousmet'alplates 12, 'M and '35 are electrically interconnectecl by the various' posts se, 62', 6 3", 66 68 and m so that in effect the resistor coil, comprising. the three equal portions described, is Y-connected having spacecl energizing points at B C and D, and having neutral points at E, F and. G at acommon potential.

Forconveying electricity to the connectionconductorsvi; 38 and se, the equipment may-he built as shown at the uppeof la anti in The main plate 'IE rests snugly on the ring. france' 32; andian insula'ting cap or wall i !S clcses the associated end of the enter tubular membe 23.' of the shell-structure 2. The connection-conductcrs pass t ough overszc h'oies in the can l6;.extending. slightiy above i At this end of the shell-structure, the o bular member 29 has three asia-.11:3 extencling legs. Ha? which' are equally' space& circumfetcem tiallyg Each of these legs MS longituclinally ree CGTV'GS a pair:` of' raciaily-direote reino'ong metal bars !26 across 'hich is Secured' a metal plate 2-2f for a suitable securing Jresente& by bolt ;22, so that the' heating equipment; comprising. themeli-structure 2 and the electric heater resistor e, can be tightiy bolted, or otherwisesecured, to` ene t mbel' of the pressure vessel te or other suppofnng structure.

For. conveying three-phase eiectrical energy from'outside: the vessel 6 to the connection-con ductors 83 and t; a plurality of terminas I 3%, 32 and !B l are provided that insul ;y pass through the end member a of It is to ben'otecl that the posts e 55 and 70; the. connection-conductors and 90. and' theterminals [30, !32 and it i are par allel, extendng longitudnally arallel to the axisof the tubuiar members and 2%: of the shell-structure 2;

The terminais 530, -BZ and. 535 are connected to* the connection-ccn'ductors and 1 30, respectively through connections its and !49, respectively. Each of these strap connections comprisesa piurality of parallel curved. straps curved` about an to the azis of the electric heater so the faces the strap` are nara'llel to this Appara tus in a'ccordance with 'o ^goin.g

r as high as 6,060 lbs; per: square inch, an more. transfer from the electric 'esistor heeter :i materially aided by convection racliant e ssipation so that a great deal of e; feri. to the ribbcn-resistor.

lt is tobe noted tha the? gas-fiow path in the shell-structure 2 coinprising the outer gas-flow space 3U"and` the inner gas-fiow space 28, is completely separated from the atmosphere inside the electric resistor heater 4 and the vessel E, the latter two being in onen gas-communication through the enlarged holes in the end wall or cap HS through which the connection conductors 86, 88 and 99 pass. consequently, this space inside the Vessel E and inside the inner tubular member lt' of the shelhstructure can be permeated with any desired gas. Hydrogen is recommended because of its high natural convection factor which, at 6,000 lbs., is 24 B. t. u. per square foot per degrees F. per hour. By having this permeating atmosphere at high pressure which is close to that of the gas within the gaspassages of the shell-structure 2, the shell-structure walls can be comparatively thin.

It is also obvious that the different metal parts of the equipment should be chosen to resist the temperatures to be encountered and to be substantially non-reactive with the gases in the equipment. For example, for a particular equipment useful for heating gases including hydrocarbons and sulfur compounds, at pressures of 6,000 lbs. per square inch, it is recommended that the material of the metal parts, exclusive of the primary current conductors and the rihbon-resistor, having a composition of 22 to 26% chromium, 12 to 15% nickel, balance iron, in apparatus with an outer tubular member of an overall length of about 191' inches and an inner diameter of 14 inches; an inner tubular member 16 of an overall length of about 163 /2 inches from the far end to the point where it meets the curved portion of its bottom member such as 22, and an outer diameter of 13 /2 inches; and an intermediate tubular member 18 of a length of about 169 inches and inner and outer diameters of 13% inches and 14%, inches, respectively. Copper or nickel is recommended for the main terminals; and an alloy comprising 20% chromum, 80 of nickel, for the connection-conductors and resistor-ribbon which may be inch wide and 0.140 inch thick. In such an equipment, the gas fiowing through the gas-passages in the shell structure may have a mass veloeity in the order of about 1201300 lbs. per square oot per hour. This gas, having an incoming temperature of 450 C., will be heated to temperatures of about 600 C. without the inner tubular member [8 exceeding 640 C. in temperature, With an electric heater resistor capable of operating at a temperature of approximately 1850 F. or l010 C., and capable of dissipating from 80 to 90 watts, more or less, of energy per square inch of a ribbon-resistor.

It is to be observed that the central tube 00 of the electric heater resstor 4 is provided with a cover plate !42. This cover plate !42 has a central hole which receives a pipe !44 through which a temperature measuring instrument can be inserted downwardly through the central tube 60 and into the well of the pipe means 33. An additional truncated metal cone 145 can be secured to the bottom end of the central tube'69 for guiding the instrument into the well 88.

While we have described our invention in a preferred embodiment, it is obvious that the teachings and principles thereof, may have wide application.

We claim as our invention:

1. Gas-heating equipment comprising, in combination, three nested tubular members comprising an outer tubular member, and. spaced concentric intermediate and inner tubular members, said nested tubular members providing a preheatingspace between the outer and intermediate tubular members, a heat-treatment space between the intermediate and inner tubular members, and a gas-filled convecton-space for a heating-means inside of the inner tubular member, a heating-means disposed inside of said inner tubular member, a means for providing a gas-inlet for the gas to enter near one end of the preheating space between the outer and intermediate tubular members, and an endmeans comprisin an annular plug between the outer and inner tubular members at the other end of the tubular members for providing a gascommunication from the preheating space to the beat-treatment space between the intermediate and inner tubular members, the inner tubular member bein closed at a gas-outlet end, and the intermediate tubular member extending away from said inner tubular member at said gas-outlet end to provide a gas-outlet for discharging the gas from the heat-treatment space without flowing through the space in which the heatingmeans is disposed, said gas-outlet means and said gas-inlet means being disposed near the same end of the three nested tubular members.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, characterized by a means disposed in at least one of said spaces between concentric tubular members for providing a tortuous gas-passage within said space.

3. The invention as dened in claim 1, characterized by said beat-treatment space being very narrow radially, and said preheating space having a greater radial width.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, characterzed by said heat-treatment space being very narrow radially, and a means disposed in said heat-treatment space 'or providing a tortuous gas-passage within said space.

5. Equipment as defined in claim 1, adapted for heating a gas under high pressure, characterized by including an outer pressure-vessel surrounding said nested tubular members.

6 Equipment as dened in claim 1, characterized by the three nested tubular members being all of metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357381 Brougham June 18, 1902 1,286,135 Somermeier Nov. 26, 1918 1,408,987 Casale Mar. 7, 1922 1,48G,645 Waller Jan. 15, 1924 1,572,881 Brace Feb. 16, 1926 1549925 Ruckstahl Nov. 22, 1927 1,671,461 Bagley May-29, 1928 1986348 Lacy et al Jan. 1, 1935 1,988,845 Jewett 1 Jan. 22, 1935 2,235,401 Gier Mar. 18, 1941 2,264,693 Gier, Jr. Dec. 2, 1941 2,463,115 Legatski Mar. 1, 1949 

